U.S. patent number 10,140,485 [Application Number 15/419,313] was granted by the patent office on 2018-11-27 for pairing method for wireless scanner via rfid.
This patent grant is currently assigned to HAND HELD PRODUCTS, INC.. The grantee listed for this patent is HAND HELD PRODUCTS, INC.. Invention is credited to Jianfeng Gao, Hong Jian Jin, Jerry Wu.
United States Patent |
10,140,485 |
Wu , et al. |
November 27, 2018 |
Pairing method for wireless scanner via RFID
Abstract
A wireless scanner is described that performs a pairing
operation with a wireless scanner base before commencing scanning
operations in a wireless scanner network. Radio frequency
identification (RFID) is used to achieve the pairing operation of
the wireless scanner with the wireless scanner base by using an
RFID tag associated with the wireless scanner base. The RFID tag in
the wireless scanner base may contain pairing information such as a
network address of the wireless scanner base for use in
automatically establishing a wireless communication session with
the wireless scanner base in accordance with another wireless
protocol.
Inventors: |
Wu; Jerry (Jiangsu,
CN), Gao; Jianfeng (Jiangsu, CN), Jin; Hong
Jian (Jiangsu, CN) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HAND HELD PRODUCTS, INC. |
Fort Mill |
SC |
US |
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Assignee: |
HAND HELD PRODUCTS, INC. (Fort
Mill, SC)
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Family
ID: |
49397012 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/419,313 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2017 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20170140185 A1 |
May 18, 2017 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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13973354 |
Aug 22, 2013 |
9558381 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Aug 31, 2012 [CN] |
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2012 1 0321196 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K
7/10009 (20130101); G06K 7/10386 (20130101); G06K
19/0727 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06K
7/10 (20060101); G06K 19/07 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;235/439,440 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1920873 |
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Feb 2007 |
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CN |
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101317398 |
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Dec 2008 |
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CN |
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102118490 |
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Jul 2011 |
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CN |
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Other References
Mar. 22, 2017 Office Action issued in Chinese Patent Application
No. 201210321196.5. cited by applicant .
Dec. 18, 2015 Office Action issued in British Patent Application
No. 1315404.2. cited by applicant .
Feb. 24, 2014 Office Action issued in British Patent Application
No. 1315404.2. cited by applicant .
Sep. 14, 2017 Office Action issued in Chinese Patent Application
No. 201210321196.5. cited by applicant .
Jan. 24, 2018 Office Action issued in Chinese Patent Application
No. 201210321196.5. cited by applicant.
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Primary Examiner: Ly; Toan
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oliff PLC Drozd; R. Brian
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 13/973,354 filed
Aug. 22, 2013, which claims the benefit of Chinese Patent
Application No. 201210321196.5 filed Aug. 31, 2012. The disclosure
of the prior applications is hereby incorporated by reference
herein in its entirety.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method comprising: reading, with a radio frequency
identification (RFID) reader, an RFID tag address from a RFID tag
of an RFID reader base that is coupled to and separate from a
point-of-sale device; prior to pairing of the RFID reader with the
RFID reader base, the RFID reader is configured to communicate with
a plurality of RFID readers; pairing the RFID reader with the RFID
reader base indicated by the RFID tag address only in response to
determining that that the RFID tag address is associated with the
RFID reader; and after the RFID reader is paired with the RFID
reader base, transmitting data read from the RFID reader only to
the RFID reader base that then transmits the data to the
point-of-sale device so that the RFID reader base only relays the
data between the paired RFID reader and the point-of-sale device
without the data being processed by other devices within wireless
range of the RFID reader base.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: indicating to a user
that the RFID reader has acquired the RFID tag address from the
RFID reader base; prompting the user for confirmation that the user
approves wirelessly connecting from the RFID reader to the RFID
reader base indicated by the RFID tag address; receiving a
confirming trigger signal indicating that the user approves
wirelessly connecting from the RFID reader to the RFID reader base
indicated by the RFID tag address; and automatically establishing a
communication session from the RFID reader to the RFID reader base
upon receiving the confirming trigger signal within a first
predetermined amount of time after prompting the user provided the
trigger signal duration is less than a second predetermined amount
of time.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving the
confirming trigger signal; after receiving the confirming trigger
signal, entering, with the RFID reader, a unique association mode
of operation; and establishing a communication session from the
RFID reader to the RFID reader base, wherein in the unique
association mode the RFID reader transmits data only to the RFID
reader base with which the communication session has automatically
been established.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein in the unique association mode of
operation the RFID reader transmits data only to the RFID reader
base indicated by the RFID tag address when initiating a network
for the transmission of decoded message data to an external
device.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising disconnecting from the
RFID reader base if the trigger signal allowing interrogation to
recommence is actuated by the user for more than a third
predetermined amount of time.
6. The method of claim 3, further comprising, if the RFID reader is
in a disconnected state, attempting to reconnect to the RFID reader
base using the RFID tag address from the RFID reader base in
response to the trigger signal allowing interrogation to
recommence.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining the RFID
tag address from the RFID reader base using a first RF protocol
which is RFID; using the RFID tag address as an identifier for
pairing with the RFID reader base; using the RFID tag address as an
index in a translation table stored within the RFID reader to
select a network address of a second RF protocol for the RFID
reader base; and using the network address of the second RF
protocol to establish the wireless communication session.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: reading the RFID tag
address from the RFID reader base using a first RF protocol which
is RFID; reading an identifying address for the RFID reader base
from the RFID tag, wherein the address conforms to a second RF
protocol different from an RFID protocol; and using the address for
automatically establishing the wireless communication session.
9. A method comprising: reading by, a controller coupled to the
radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, an RFID tag address
received from an RFID reader base that is coupled to and separate
from a point of sale device; establishing, by the controller, a
wireless communication session sharing data and command between the
RFID reader to the RFID reader base indicated by the RFID tag
address, wherein the RFID reader base communicates data between the
RFID reader and the point of sale device via the RFID reader base
so that the RFID reader base can relay the data between the RFID
reader and the point-of-sale device without the data being
processed by other devices within wireless range of the RFID reader
base.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: an actuator for
generating trigger signals; and an indicator; wherein the
controller activates the indicator to notify a user that the RFID
reader has acquired the RFID tag address from the RFID reader base;
wherein the controller prompts the user for confirmation that the
user approves wirelessly connecting from the RFID reader to the
RFID reader base indicated by the RFID tag address; and wherein the
controller automatically establishes the wireless communication
session upon receiving a trigger signal confirming that the user
approves wirelessly connecting from the RFID reader to the RFID
reader base indicated by the RFID tag address.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein: the controller, with the
indicator, prompts the user to trigger the actuator; and if the
controller receives a trigger signal in less than a first
predetermined amount of time and the actuator is triggered for a
duration less than a second predetermined amount of time, the
controller automatically establishes the wireless communication
session.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the controller disconnects the
RFID reader from the RFID reader base in response to the actuation
of the actuator for more than a third predetermined amount of
time.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein: after the controller
establishes a wireless communication system, if the RFID reader
becomes disconnected from the RFID reader, the controller attempts
to reconnect the RFID reader to the RFID reader base indicated by
the RFID tag address in response to the actuation of the
actuator.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller obtains the RFID
tag address from the RFID tag of the RFID reader base using a first
RF protocol, wherein the controller uses the RFID tag address as an
index into a translation table stored within the RFID reader to
select a network address of a second RF protocol for use in
establishing the wireless communication session with the RFID
reader base in accordance with the second RF protocol.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein: the controller reads a network
address of a second RF protocol from an RFID tag on the RFID reader
base; and uses the second RF protocol to establish the wireless
communication session with the RFID reader base in accordance with
the second RF protocol.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein, after automatically
establishing the wireless communication session with the RFID
reader base, the RFID reader enters into a unique association mode
of operation in which the RFID reader transmits data only to the
RFID reader base with which the communication has automatically
been established, wherein, in the unique association mode of
operation, the RFID reader transmits data only to the RFID reader
base indicated by the RFID tag address when initiating a network
for the transmission of decoded message data to an external
device.
17. A method comprising: reading, by a radio frequency
identification (RFID) reader, an RFID tag associated with an RFID
reader base that is not a point of sale device; establishing a
wireless communication session between the RFID reader and the RFID
reader base corresponding to the read RFID tag only in response to
determining that the RFID reader is associated with the RFID base
based on information obtained by the RFID tag; using the session to
send and receive commands and data to and from the RFID reader
base, and the base then communicating between the point of sale
device that is separate from the RFID reader base so that the RFID
reader base can relay the data between the RFID reader and the
point-of-sale device without the data being processed by other
devices within wireless range of the RFID reader base.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising, after the reading
of an RFID tag address the controller disallows interrogation of
RFID tags until a predetermined event occurs.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This disclosure relates to wireless scanners and, more
particularly, to techniques for uniquely pairing a handheld
wireless scanner with a wireless scanner base.
BACKGROUND
Wireless scanners are handheld devices used in many applications
including bar code decoding and industrial data collection. A
wireless scanner usually comprises a mobile computer, keypad, and
data acquisition device. The mobile computer typically includes a
hand held or "pocket" computing device and a keypad in a variety of
configurations. The data acquisition device is typically an image
capture device, such as a line scanner or an image sensor array,
and is often used to capture image data, such as bar codes. Data
may also be acquired by the keypad or a touch pad associated with
the mobile computer. The wireless scanner is typically paired to a
wireless scanner base for purposes of data communication with a
remote computer.
Within a wireless scanner, the mobile computer is equipped with a
radio transceiver which may have operating modes wherein the mobile
computer can transmit and receive data from a computer or other
device in a wireless scanner network. In some cases, it is desired
that the mobile computer communicate with only one out of several
possible radio transceiver equipped computers in an operating
environment. One such operating environment is a retail store
network wherein a mobile computer in the form of a hand held bar
code reading terminal must be associated with one specific cash
register including an associated radio transceiver. In a retail
store network, it is required that one bar code reading terminal be
paired with a single cash register system so that product code
information intended for processing by a first cash register is not
erroneously associated with a retail transaction processed by a
second cash register. This point-to-point relationship is referred
to as "pairing" the wireless scanner with the cash register.
SUMMARY
This disclosure describes techniques in which a wireless scanner
utilizes radio frequency identification (RFID) to automatically
achieve a pairing operation with a wireless scanner base using an
RFID tag in the wireless scanner base. An RFID module may be
integrated in the wireless scanner and used to read an RFID tag in
the wireless scanner base. The user may initially place the
wireless scanner with the integrated RFID module near to the RFID
tag in the wireless scanner base. The wireless scanner is placed in
a pairing mode of operation in which the wireless scanner uses its
integrated RFID reader to read the RFID tag in the wireless scanner
base to automatically complete a pairing operation with the
wireless scanner base. The RFID tag in the wireless scanner base
may contain pairing information such as the address of the wireless
scanner base.
In one example, a method comprises reading an RFID tag installed
into one of a plurality of wireless scanner bases with an RFID
reader integrated into the wireless scanner. The controller in the
wireless scanner receives, from the RFID reader in the wireless
scanner, the RFID tag address of the RFID tag installed in the
wireless scanner base. The wireless scanner may then notify the
user via an indicator light that the wireless scanner has obtained
the RFID tag address of the wireless scanner base. The wireless
scanner may then prompt the user for confirmation that the user
approves of wirelessly connecting from the wireless scanner to the
wireless scanner base indicated by the RFID tag address. The
wireless scanner may then receive from the user a trigger signal
confirming that the user approves wirelessly connecting from the
wireless scanner to the wireless scanner base indicated by the RFID
tag address. If the user approves, then the wireless scanner may
complete the operation by wirelessly connecting to the wireless
scanner base indicated by the RFID tag address.
In another example, a system comprises a wireless scanner with a
plurality of wireless scanner bases external to the wireless
scanner. The wireless scanner comprises a radio transceiver, an
RFID reader, an actuator, an indicator, and an external housing
encapsulating the wireless scanner components. The wireless scanner
housing is configured so that a user can trigger the actuator when
grasping the housing. The wireless scanner is configured to enter a
unique association mode of operation subsequent to receiving an
RFID address from one of the wireless scanner bases and the user
triggering the actuator to confirm acceptance of the RFID tag
address of the wireless scanner base.
The invention may provide one or more advantages. For example,
automated RFID-based pairing may be considerably more convenient
and less prone to error than manual configuration. Moreover, use of
an RFID tag may require less maintenance and be more reliable than
use of printed indicia on the wireless scanner base, such as a bar
code. A bar code, for example, may be easily polluted or damaged
and the required maintenance may be inconvenient to the user. An
RFID tag may also be easier to scan than a bar code as the RFID tag
need only to be in close proximity to the RFID antenna integrated
in the wireless scanner whereas a bar code must be optically
aligned with a bar code reader in order to be read.
The details of one or more examples are set forth in the
accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features,
objects, and advantages in addition to those described below will
be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a wireless scanner network in
which wireless scanners utilize the techniques described herein to
uniquely and automatically establish peering sessions with
corresponding base stations.
FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing an example wireless scanner in
accordance with the techniques described herein.
FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing an example wireless scanner base
in accordance with the techniques described herein.
FIG. 3A is a drawing illustrating further details of an example
wireless scanner having radio transceiver and an RFID reader.
FIG. 3B is a block diagram showing example components of an RFID
reader within a wireless scanner.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating example operation of a wireless
scanner operating within a wireless scanner network in accordance
with the techniques described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a wireless scanner network 10 having a
plurality of wireless scanners 11A-11N, a plurality of wireless
scanner bases 21A-21N, and a central server 25. In the example of
FIG. 1, scanners 11A (referred to herein collectively as "scanners
11") collect data, such as by scanning bar codes of particular
items or by receiving input from an operator. For example, wireless
scanner network 10 may be implemented in a retail store environment
where each wireless scanner is associated with a different checkout
counter or register. In this case, an operator typically utilizes a
scanner 11 to scan bar code information from each item being
purchased so as to identify the item.
In this setting, each of scanners 11 is uniquely associated with,
i.e., "paired with," one of wireless scanner bases 21. Each of
scanner bases 21 may be communicatively coupled to, or part of, an
electronic cash register or other point-of-sale device. That is,
each of scanners 11 and a corresponding base 21 establish a
point-to-point RF communication session such that data and commands
are communicated only between the two "peer" devices without being
processed by the other devices of wireless scanner network 10. Each
wireless scanner 11 transfers acquired data, such as a bar code of
a scanned item, to the wireless scanner base 21 with which the
wireless scanner is paired. In one example, wireless scanner 11A is
uniquely associated with wireless scanner base 21A, wireless
scanner 11B is uniquely associated with wireless scanner base 21B,
and wireless scanner 11N is uniquely associated with wireless
scanner base 21N. Wireless scanner bases 21 may all be provisioned
with similar components or may be different, such as base stations
integrated with our connected to different types of point-of-sale
registers. Each of wireless scanner bases 21 includes a radio
transceiver for RF communications of commands and data with the
correspondingly paired wireless scanner 11. As examples, wireless
scanner base 21A may include a USB dongle network interface card
(NIC) plugged into the back of a main housing, and wireless scanner
base 21B may include a radio transceiver in the form of a PC card
NIC plugged into an internal bus.
Wireless scanner network 10 also includes server 25, which
represents any suitable computing environment for application and
database software, depending upon the application. In the example
of FIG. 1, server 25 is in communication with wireless scanner
bases 21A-21N by way of local area network 9 as may be provided by
an Ethernet network. Server 25 is typically located on-site, for
example, at a retail store together with wireless scanners 11A-11N
and wireless scanner bases 21A-21N.
It can be seen with reference to a retail store network that if
wireless scanners 11A-11N had the ability to freely associate with
any of wireless scanner bases 21A-21N then considerable errors in
the collection of transaction data would likely occur. For example,
if wireless scanner 11A were able to freely associate with any cash
register of wireless scanner network 10, then data sent by wireless
scanner 11A intended for processing by cash register 21A might
inadvertently be sent to cash register 21B and cash register 21N to
corrupt transaction data being processed by each of the cash
registers. In one embodiment, transaction data, including price and
account data, may have an attached transaction number. If message
data is sent from a wireless scanner to a cash register other than
the intended cash register, the message data, price, and item
information derived using the message data can be expected to have
an erroneous transaction number attached.
As described herein, wireless scanners 11 utilize radio frequency
identification (RFID) to automatically achieve a pairing operation
with a corresponding wireless scanner base 21 using an RFID tag 23
affixed to each wireless scanner base. For example, wireless
scanner 11A may achieve a pairing operation with wireless scanner
base 21A utilizing RFID tag 23A in the wireless scanner base.
Moreover, wireless scanners 11 support a mode of operation in which
the pairing is achieved and a corresponding point-to-point wireless
communication session 17 is established automatically in response
to interrogation of the RFID tag 23. For example, a user may scan
RFID tag 23A in wireless scanner base 21A with an RFID module
integrated into wireless scanner 11A by placing the RFID antenna
inside the wireless scanner in close proximity with the RFID tag in
the wireless scanner base and reading the RFID tag with the
integrated RFID tag reader module. RFID tag 23A in wireless scanner
base 21A is typically read using near field radio waves 24 to
electromagnetically couple the RFID antenna in wireless scanner 11A
with the RFID tag. The integrated RFID reader generates radio wave
signal 24, typically at 13.56 MHz, which is broadcast by the RFID
antenna in wireless scanner 11A to the RFID tag 23A in wireless
scanner base 21A. RFID tag 23A is energized by radio wave signal 24
from wireless scanner 11A and transmits a return radio wave signal
to the RFID antenna in the wireless scanner during time periods
when radio wave signal 24 is turned off. The integrated RFID reader
in wireless scanner 11A receives the RFID tag radio signal from the
antenna in the wireless scanner and decodes this signal into
decoded data, such as an RFID tag address. The wireless scanner
bases 21 are typically located sufficiently far apart, e.g., more
than 1-2 meters typically, so that the wireless scanners 11 may
avoid obtaining unintended RFID tag addresses using the integrated
RFID readers. If the integrated RFID readers in wireless scanners
11 are low power, e.g., less than 1 Watt, wireless scanner bases 21
may be allowed to be placed apart by less than 2 meters.
RFID tags may be used at several frequencies, such as low frequency
(LF) 125 kHz, high frequency (HF) 13.56 MHz, ultra high frequency
(UHF) 433 MHz or 915 MHz, and microwave 2.45 GHz. The least costly
RFID tags to manufacture are typically HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (915
MHz). Because of the longer typical read range of UHF RFID tags (10
meters) versus HF RFID tags (1 meter), it is more likely that HF
RFID tags would be used within wireless scanner bases 21 in a
retail setting where the wireless bases may be cash registers which
are located within a few meters, i.e. 3 meters or less, of each
other.
Wireless scanner 11A may use the RFID tag address or other decoded
data obtained from RFID tag 23A using the RFID protocol as an
identifier for pairing with wireless scanner base 21A. In one
example, the RFID tag address from RFID tag 23A may be used as an
index into a translation table which gives another identifying
address for wireless scanner base 21A for a second protocol used in
wireless communication session 17A between wireless scanner 11A and
wireless scanner base 21A. In another example, data following the
tag address in RFID tag 23A may contain address information for
wirelessly communicating between wireless scanner 11A and wireless
scanner base 21A. The wireless transmissions may use, for example,
the Bluetooth or 802.11 standard protocols to establish a
point-to-point communication session between wireless scanner 11A
and wireless scanner base 21A. In a wireless operating mode, the
mobile computer in wireless scanner 11A senses that it is in range
of a radio equipped computer device such as wireless scanner base
21A, and a communication protocol commences to link the pair of
radio transceiver equipped computers together, i.e., to form a
wireless connection between the wireless scanner and the wireless
scanner base.
The techniques described herein may provide one or more advantages.
For example, automated RFID-based pairing may be considerably more
convenient and less prone to error than manual configuration.
Moreover, RFID tags 23 of wireless scanner bases 21 may be more
reliable than indicia printed on wireless scanner bases 21, such as
bar codes, because the RFID tags may be affixed internally in the
wireless scanner bases and not suffer from potential abrasion,
soiling, or corrosion. Another advantage of the pairing method for
wireless scanners with RFID is that RFID tags 23 of wireless
scanner bases 21 may require less maintenance than bar codes
because the RFID tags are less likely to be polluted or damaged.
RFID tag 23A of wireless scanner base 21A may also be easier to
scan than a bar code as the RFID antenna in wireless scanner 11A
need only be placed closely to the RFID tag for scanning rather
than a bar code which must be optically aligned with the wireless
scanner.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are block diagrams that illustrate an example
wireless scanner 11 and an example wireless scanner base 21,
respectively, that may operate in accordance with the techniques
described herein to establish a peer relationship using RFID.
Wireless scanner 11 and the wireless scanner base 21 each include a
radio transceiver 14 that operates in accordance with a first RF
protocol. In one embodiment, wireless scanner 11 may include
Bluetooth radio transceiver 14 for establishment of a
point-to-point wireless communication session with a Bluetooth
radio transceiver 24 of wireless scanner base 21. Wireless scanner
11 and a wireless scanner base 21 include controllers 8 and 26,
respectively, which may provide an operating environment for
executing the Bluetooth protocol stack. The Bluetooth stack may be
included in each of wireless scanners 11 and wireless scanner bases
21 of wireless scanner network 10 of FIG. 1.
Additional components may be incorporated into wireless scanner 11.
As part of encoded information module 32, wireless scanner 11 may
include data acquisition electronics for RFID 33, bar code 34, and
smart card 35. Bar code module 34 may include an image sensor
system which may be operated by controller 8. In response to
receipt of a trigger signal as may be initiated by depressing
actuator 31, controller 8 may send frame capture commands via
scanner system bus 30 to the image sensor system of bar code module
34. In addition or in place of having bar code module 34, wireless
scanner 11 may include RFID module 33 and card reader unit 35. When
placed in auto-pairing mode of operation, as described herein,
controller 8 may operate RFID module 33 to acquire a tag address
and/or other data from an RFID tag (e.g., RFID tag 23 of FIG. 1),
and use the tag address and/or other data from the RFID to
automatically establish a wireless communication session with a
corresponding wireless scanner base 21. For example, controller 8
may use the RFID tag address and/or other data to compute or
otherwise determine an address for wirelessly communicating with
wireless scanner base 21 using a second RF protocol (e.g.,
Bluetooth) via radio transceiver 14. Wireless scanner 21 may also
include a program memory or EPROM 17, a working memory or RAM 16,
storage memory 18 such as a hard drive, and indicator 19. Wireless
scanner 21 may also include input/output (I/O) interface 15 such as
an Ethernet or USB interface. All of the above components described
relative to wireless scanner 11 may be incorporated in a portable
hand held housing 51 as shown in FIG. 3A which can be operated at a
location spaced apart from wireless scanner base 21.
Wireless scanner base 21 may include additional components such as
controller 26, keyboard 27, display 28, pointer controller 29, and
radio transceiver 24 as described previously, I/O interface 41, a
working memory or RAM 42, a program memory or EPROM 43, and storage
memory 44 such as a hard drive. The components may be in
communication with each other via scanner base system bus 40.
Controller 26 may operate radio transceiver 24 to wirelessly
communicate with wireless scanner 11 to complete the pairing
operation with wireless scanner base 21 and establish a
point-to-point wireless communication session for transfer of data
from the wireless scanner.
Because encoded information module 32 of wireless scanner 11 can
decode multiple forms of message data, it is understood in all
instances described herein where it is described that wireless
scanner 11 sends decoded message data to wireless scanner base 21,
wireless scanner 11 could alternatively send decoded message data
such as decoded RFID message data, decoded bar code message data,
or decoded smart card message data. Wireless scanner 11 may be
configured so that the wireless scanner decodes encoded data in
response to a user initiated command. Such a user-initiated command
may be initiated in response to actuator 31 being triggered, or in
the case of card reader 35, a card being moved through a slot
disposed on wireless scanner 11 (not shown). Where wireless scanner
11 incorporates an RFID reader/writer 33 (referred to herein as an
"RFID reader"), the wireless scanner may be referred to as an RFID
reading terminal. Where wireless scanner 11 incorporates bar code
reader 34, the wireless scanner may be referred to as a bar code
reading terminal.
FIG. 3A is a drawing showing wireless scanner 11. In this example,
wireless scanner 11 includes manual actuator 31 and housing 51 that
internally houses controller 8, radio transceiver 14, RFID reader
33, and bar code reader 34 of FIG. 2A. Housing 51 may be configured
so that actuator 31 can be triggered when housing 51 is grasped by
the user. In one embodiment, an RFID reader terminal may contain
hand held housing 51 without a display and include at least one
component of RFID reader unit 33, housing 51 being configured so
that a user can trigger manual actuator 31 when grasping the
housing, the RFID reading terminal being configured so that when
the manual actuator is triggered, the RFID reader produces a
decoded RFID data message. Controller 8 may process the decoded
RFID data message from RFID reader unit 33 to determine an address
for wirelessly communicating between wireless scanner 11 and
wireless scanner base 21 to complete the pairing operation and
automatic establishment of a communication session using a second
RF protocol for data transfer.
FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating components of an example
RFID reader 33 that may be incorporated in wireless scanner 11 for
use in automatically pairing the wireless scanner with a base
station in accordance with the techniques described herein. In this
example, RFID reader 33 includes transmitter 36, receiver 37, data
decode processor 38, writer 39, and antenna 45. RFID reader 33 may
be used to activate a passive RFID tag. The passive tag may include
a storage device, a transponder, and an antenna. For activation of
a passive tag, transmitter 36 may send an activation radio signal
over antenna 45 which is received by an antenna for activation of
the transponder. In response to the receipt of the activation
signal, the transponder is actuated to transmit a radio signal
representing identification data encoded into the passive tag.
Receiver circuit 37 in turn receives the radio signal from the
passive tag and converts the data into a processable digital
format. Data decode processor 38 of RFID reader 33 typically
includes a low cost microcontroller and processes the received
radio signal information to decode the identification data
originally encoded into the RFID tag. The RFID tag may be applied
to, for example, articles for sale in a retail store, or to an
identification card such as a credit or debit card. The RFID tag
may also be used as a tool in reconfiguring wireless scanner 11 to
uniquely associate with wireless scanner base 21. RFID reader 33
may be operated in a continuous read mode or in an active read
mode. In an active read mode, RFID reader 33 attempts to read and
reads data from a tag in response to a trigger signal being
initiated. Wireless scanner 11 may be configured so that a trigger
signal is initiated by depressing actuator 31 or another button of
wireless scanner 11.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating process steps that can be
carried out by wireless scanner 11 operating within wireless
scanner network 10. An RFID reading wireless scanner 11 may be
configured to enter a unique association mode by triggering
actuator 31 subsequent to wirelessly receiving an RFID tag address
from one of a plurality of wireless scanner bases 21 in wireless
scanner network 10. The flowchart will be described in the example
in which wireless scanner 11 is first introduced into wireless
scanner network 10, retains no previously obtained RFID tag address
information or any other information regarding any wireless scanner
base 21 in the wireless scanner network, and it is desired that the
wireless scanner will operate together in unique association with
one of the wireless scanner bases.
In this mode, controller 8 of wireless scanner 11 may begin the
unique association mode of operation by executing an initial
sampling loop (52) to confirm whether the wireless scanner has
sensed and interrogated an RFID tag to receive an RFID tag address,
which can be referred to as a scanner base address, from one of a
plurality of wireless scanner bases 21. Controller 8 may activate
indicator 19 once wireless scanner 11 has received an RFID tag
address to notify the user that an RFID tag address has been
acquired. If wireless scanner 11 receives a scanner base address,
controller 8 waits for a first predetermined amount of time T1
seconds (54), such as 10 seconds. During this time, controller 8 of
wireless scanner 11 determines whether a trigger signal is received
from actuator 31 with a signal duration which is less than a second
predetermined amount of time T2 seconds (56), such as 2 seconds.
That is, actuation of actuator 31 for less than T2 seconds may be
utilized as a confirmation by the user that the wireless scanner is
to be paired with the wireless scanner base from which the RFID tag
was read. Such confirmation causes controller 8 to enter into
association mode in which the controller establishes the
communication session with the wireless scanner base (58).
Controller 8 remains in the first sampling loop if the initial
trigger is not received in less than the first predetermined amount
of time T1. For example, controller 8 may wait for a period of 10
seconds (T1) after acquiring the RFID tag address to receive a
trigger signal of actuator 31 which is less than 2 seconds before
completing the pairing operation of wireless scanner 11 with
wireless scanner base 21.
In the unique association mode (58), controller 8 proceeds to
conduct a paired communication session between wireless scanner 11
and wireless scanner base 21 (60) based on the scanner base address
acquired from the RFID tag. For example, the scanner base address
from the RFID tag may be an index into a translation table
containing the wireless address of wireless scanner base 21. Each
entry of the translation table associates a tag address with one
wireless scanner base 21 in network 10 where a wireless network
address or identifier may be used in constructing an RF
communication session with that wireless scanner base. In another
example, the wireless address for wireless scanner base 21 may be
contained in the data section of the RFID tag. If controller 8 of
wireless scanner 11 enters into the unique association mode (58)
and enters into a normal mode of operation (60) during which
actuator 31 may be triggered by the user to indicate an acquisition
event for bar code reader 34 of wireless scanner 11 shown in FIG.
2A, then bar code scanning operation may proceed in which the
wireless scanner transmits bar code data wirelessly to wireless
scanner base 21 after each trigger event of actuator 31. This bar
code data may be related to items for purchase in a retail store,
for example, wherein the bar code of each item is scanned by
wireless scanner 11 and the resultant bar code data is transferred
to wireless scanner base 21 via the established communication
session 17.
Wireless scanner 11 continues this operation while paired with the
particular wireless scanner base until the wireless scanner
receives a trigger from actuator 31 which is more than a third
predetermined amount of time T3 (62), such as 5 seconds, at which
point the controller exits the second sampling loop and proceeds
back to the first sampling loop (52). Alternatively, in another
embodiment, the user may specify that controller 8 of wireless
scanner 11 may exit the unique association algorithm upon receipt
of the trigger signal with a duration which is more than T3 seconds
(62).
Various embodiments of the invention have been described. These and
other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
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